Naidu's family — wife Bhuvaneswari, son Lokesh, daughter-in-law Brahmani and her father Nandamuri Balakrishna, met the TDP chief.
Published Sep 09, 2023 | 11:59 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 09, 2023 | 11:59 PM
Nara Lokesh arriving to meet with his father and TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu at the SIT office. (X)
Officials of the Andhra Pradesh Criminal Investigation Department (CID) were grilling TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu at the Special Investigation Team (SIT) office at Kunchanapalli near Tadepalli in Guntur district late into the night on Saturday, 9 September.
They are seeking answers to several questions on the ₹371 crore skill development scam which took place when Naidu was the chief minister of the state between 2014 and 2019.
According to sources South First spoke to, Naidu — who was arrested in Nandyal in a pre-dawn swoop earlier in the day — was not cooperating with the CID officials and repeatedly asked for his lawyers before responding to their queries.
But the officials, who began questioning him at about 5.30 pm, did not oblige him.
Though no one was allowed into the premises of the SIT office, scores of TDP workers waited outside, despite the intermittent showers.
Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Governor Abdul Nazeer gave an appointment to TDP state president K Atchen Naidu, former minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao, and a few others to see him at 9.45 am on Sunday at Visakha Port Guest House where he is camping now. He was in Visakhapatnam as part of a four-day tour of the port city.
The question uppermost on everyone’s mind was when the SIT would produce Naidu in court and whether he would get bail. As an accused in a case could produced before the judge even late in the night, the SIT officials seemed to take their own time in grilling Naidu.
The TDP has organised a battery of advocates to defend Naidu, and even had Supreme Court lawyer Siddhartha Luthra flown in from Delhi to argue for bail in the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Court whenever he is produced before the judge.
After Naidu reached Vijayawada, his wife Bhuvaneswari visited him, along with their son Lokesh, at the SIT’s office. They had to wait for about two hours to meet him.
Meanwhile, Lokesh’s wife Brahmani, her father and film actor Nandamuri Balakrishna, too, arrived in Kunchanapalli. The police allowed all of them to meet Nadiu.
Naidu reportedly asked them not to worry about him since he did no wrong and justice was on his side. He told them that he was prepared to face the conspiracy against him without any fear. After meeting him, the family members left the SIT office.
Earlier in the day, Bhuvaneswari visited Kanakadurga temple and prayed to the Goddess to give Naidu necessary fortitude to face the trial. Later, speaking to media persons, she said everyone should support Naidu as he was fighting for them.
Meanwhile, the police arrested a number of workers across the state who had staged protests in expression of solidarity with Naidu.
In the evening, leaders who were kept under house arrest in various towns and cities were released on station bail. They included former Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao.
Meanwhile, the TDP gave a call for hunger strikes across the state on Sunday.
